(Finance) – “The European Commission’s proposal to impose definitive countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China has obtained support necessary by EU Member States for the adoption of tariffs. This represents another step towards the conclusion of the Commission’s anti-subsidy investigation.” This is what we read in a note from the European Commission.
However, Brussels has ensured that theEU and the China they will continue “to work hard to explore an alternative solution that should be fully WTO compliant, adequate to address the injurious subsidies established by the Commission’s investigation, monitorable and enforceable.”
The EU Trade Defense Committeein which representatives of the Member States are present and vote, has not reached the majority qualifiedtoday in Brussels, neither for nor against the European Commission’s proposal to confirm the new duties on electric cars imported from China for five years. Specifically, 10 member states voted in favor – including Italy and France -, five against – including Germany – while 12 abstained.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce he said he was strongly against the European decision, calling the protectionist measures “unfair, non-compliant and unreasonable”. In a statement, the ministry nevertheless recognized the will politics of the EU to continue to resolve the issue through negotiations, adding that a China-Europe technical team will continue i interviews on October 7. “China will take all measures to firmly safeguard the interests of Chinese enterprises,” the ministry added.
“Italy has expressed itself in line with the technical analyzes of the Commission aimed at restoring conditions of commercial equity. We hope that negotiations will resume both bilaterally and at the WTO to arrive, as always maintained, at a shared solution in full compliance of international rules. We are against any possibility of a “trade war” and will work together to avoid it. We must preserve the industrial and commercial partnership with China with which we want to continue to work in a win-win logic based on the principle of reciprocity also to purposes of global economic stability”, commented the Minister of Business and Made in Italy Adolfo Ursus after the vote.